Warning: Major spoilers for Masters of the Universe (2026).

As someone who grew up with He-Man, this movie meant a lot to me. I was a fan of the original Filmation cartoon as a kid, and I also loved the 2002 reboot, which had one of the strongest three-episode introductions I’ve ever seen for an animated series. It’s still disappointing that version didn’t last longer because it had so much potential and was just on the verge of introducing the wider world of Eternia with Hordak and She-ra.

Over the years, I’ve watched various attempts to revive the franchise. I tried watching the Netflix sequel series from Kevin Smith, but I wasn’t particularly happy with how the first half turned out. I’ve heard the CGI series Netflix released afterward was actually pretty decent, though I never got around to watching it.

Going into Masters of the Universe (2026), I did everything possible to avoid spoilers. With a franchise this important to me, I wanted every surprise to land naturally. I had seen some complaints online beforehand, particularly regarding the some of the casting choices and the decision to begin the story on Earth, much like the 1987 film. After watching the film, however, those concerns felt completely overblown.

One of my favorite aspects of the film was how Adam essentially nicknamed himself “He-Man”, and the other members of the Masters of the Universe: Ram-Man, Mecha-Neck, Fisto, etc. It felt like a fun and organic way to establish these characters’ legendary identities. I also loved that he nicknamed Teela as the “Warrior Goddess”, which I think came from the older mini-comics.

One of my favorite moments in the Earth portion of the film comes when Adam encounters a a character portrayed by Dolph Lundgren in a gym and asks him for advice. It would have been easy for the filmmakers to ignore the 1987 movie entirely, but instead they chose to acknowledge it with a fun and surprisingly neat cameo. The scene doesn’t feel forced or overly self-referential; rather, it comes across as a respectful nod to the actor who first brought He-Man to life on the big screen. For longtime fans, it’s a nice reminder that every version of the character has helped keep the franchise alive over the years, and seeing Lundgren share a brief moment with the new Adam felt like a symbolic passing of the torch.

Speaking of the 1987 movie, I honestly don’t remember if I’ve ever sat through the entire thing from start to finish. What I do remember is that, aside from He-Man and Skeletor, many of the character designs felt very different from their animated counterparts. To be fair, that film was working with the limitations of its era. Modern visual effects allow filmmakers to bring Eternia and its characters to life in ways that simply weren’t possible in the 1980s.

That said, I still wonder why so much of the 1987 film was framed around Earth rather than Eternia. Looking back, it almost feels like the filmmakers were more interested in telling a science-fiction adventure set on Earth that happened to feature He-Man characters. I also remember finding the ending somewhat unsettling. The movie presents the idea that Julie is able to revisit the day her parents died and reunite with them before their tragic fate. While it is intended as a happy ending, part of me always interpreted it differently. Knowing what happens to them, it almost feels as though she is heading toward that tragedy again, which gives the ending a strangely bittersweet tone.

Still, this new film feels like the movie the franchise always deserved. Interestingly, both films share a similar structure, with portions of the story taking place on Earth. The difference is that the 2026 version remains firmly centered on Adam, Eternia, and the larger mythology of Masters of the Universe. In that sense, it feels like a spiritual successor to the original concept, but one that fully embraces the world and characters fans have loved for decades.

Visually, the film absolutely delivers, especially when it comes to the villains. Beast Man looks fantastic, Trap Jaw is intimidating, Evil-Lyn is memorable, and Tri-Klops looks exactly how I imagined a modern live-action version should look. Even the smaller references, such as the brief reference of Stinkor, brought a smile to my face.

One funny thing is that I didn’t initially realize Evil-Lyn was played by Alison Brie. The blonde hair completely threw me off, partly because I always associated the character with darker hair in some of the versions I grew up with. It wasn’t until later that I made the connection. Likewise, I didn’t recognize Morena Baccarin as the Sorceress until the credits rolled. I mostly know her from the Deadpool films.

Trap Jaw ended up being one of my favorite villains in the movie. His battle with Duncan at the beginning of the film was brutal, and I liked the fact that the heroes actually lose and Adam is sent to Earth for safety.

Duncan is left physically and emotionally broken, while Skeletor’s forces effectively win for over fifteen years. That’s not something you see very often in blockbuster franchises, and it gave the story real weight. It was refreshing to see a villain’s victory actually matter rather than being immediately undone.

Skeletor himself was easily one of the strongest parts of the film. The writers clearly understood the character, including his tendency to insult everyone around him. Longtime fans will appreciate callbacks to the Filmation cartoon, including moments where he mocks and belittles his own followers. One of the funniest nods was hearing him call He-Man a “boob,” which felt like a line straight out of the original series. The film also captures his abusive relationship with his minions, making him both intimidating and entertaining in equal measure.

Another pleasant surprise was how much the movie respected the spirit of Filmation’s portrayal of He-Man. During the final confrontation with Skeltor, Adam actively looks for alternatives to violence before resorting to combat. That approach felt like one of the character’s defining traits, and it was great to see it preserved here.

The chemistry between Adam and Teela was another highlight. There is a noticeable romantic tension between them at certain points in the film, and it never feels forced. Whether future films choose to develop that relationship further remains to be seen, but the foundation is definitely there. Given the history of the characters across various versions of the franchise, it feels like a natural direction for the series to explore.

The movie also delivered several surprises that I genuinely did not see coming. Orko’s appearance near the end was one of them, as a post-credit scene. Since I had successfully avoided spoilers, his arrival was a fantastic moment. I especially appreciated his involvement in delivering one of the classic moral lessons, which felt like a direct callback to the original cartoon. The appearance of She-Ra was equally unexpected, and even hearing a brief hint of her classic theme music immediately got my attention. It opens up countless possibilities for future films.

If I have one small complaint regarding the film, is that I wish the film had used a longer version of He-Man’s classic theme. It seemed to me there was maybe a single brief moment where it was played, and I would have loved to hear more of it during the movie’s biggest moments, perhaps during Adam’s initial transformation or during the credits.

I know some fans were concerned about certain casting choices. Teela is portrayed by Camila Mendes, a Brazilian actress despite traditionally being depicted as white in the cartoons. Duncan is played by Idris Elba, while Kojo Attah takes on the role of Tri-Klops. Personally, none of these choices bothered me. Idris Elba is one of those actors I enjoy in almost everything he appears in, and I thought he was excellent here.

While I understand some fans may have preferred more visually traditional casting, the performances ultimately won me over.

My biggest disappointment was the fate of Randor. As a fan of the character, I would have preferred to see him survive the events of the film. His death also reminds me of the death of Superman’s father in Henry Cavill’s initial Superman film - like it felt completely avoidable. Even so, that remains a relatively minor criticism in an otherwise outstanding movie.

The movie leaves fans with plenty to discuss after the credits roll. Not one, not two, but three post-credit scenes help establish the future of the franchise. The most exciting tease is the suggestion that Skeletor has survived, ensuring Eternia’s greatest threat is far from finished.

One final note: this is only the second Jared Leto film I’m aware of seeing, the first being Blade Runner 2049, which I loved. I’ve read about his acting method, especially when they were doing the initial Suicide Squad films, and to be honest it feels as though Skeletor is the perfect role for such an actor.

While I went into Masters of the Universe with cautious optimism, I came away genuinely impressed.

This feels like a movie made by people who understand why He-Man has endured for more than forty years. It embraces the mythology, respects the characters, and captures the sense of adventure that made so many people fans in the first place.

When the credits rolled, my first thought was that I wanted to watch it again. In fact, now that it is on Amazon Prime (and apparently setting records for streaming viewership) I probably will, soon.

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